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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25873831">The arms of relief (seem so out of reach)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/'>Anonymous</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, FE3H Kinkmeme, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Molestation, No Smut, Protective Older Brothers, Revenge, Sexual Abuse, Underage Rape/Non-con, no beta we die like Glenn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:54:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,745</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25873831</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Glenn noticed slowly. The way Felix sulked, the way he would shut himself in his room for hours on end rather than run and play and train like normal. He was always a bit of a crybaby, but his frequent moods were beginning to concern Glenn – and annoy their father. “He’s getting to that age,” the man would sigh after Felix stormed away, tears gathering in his lashes. </p><p>Glenn wasn’t too sure. </p><p>He began to keep a closer eye on the boy. Felix was eleven, so perhaps it made sense that he was slowly morphing away from the delicate, tender boy who cried easily and handed out his affection freely. But something about the way he would cringe from a hand put on his shoulder, would shirk away from a hug, would grow irate at their combat instructor when the man attempted to correct his form during training… It worried Glenn.<br/>____</p><p>FE3H Kink Meme fill.</p><p>Read the tags, they're not there for decoration.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Felix Hugo Fraldarius &amp; Glenn Fraldarius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Anonymous</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The arms of relief (seem so out of reach)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt:</p><p>Essentially, what I want is Glenn finding out that Miklan has been touching his brother, and trying to reassure Felix bc now Felix gets extra tense and skittish whenever someone touches him even in the most appropriate way and it's such a striking difference to how overbearingly touchy-feely he usually was</p><p>I want Glenn to be a good big brother, caring and protective all the while he's thinking about how much he's gonna make Miklan pay, consequences be damned<br/>_____</p><p>This one's sad. Obviously, trigger warnings for child sexual abuse. There is nothing graphic, no actual 'on-screen' abuse happens, and no explicit details are given. This is Glenn's POV, after all, and Glenn doesn't witness the abuse, just the aftermath. The worst of it is describing Felix's behavior after the abuse begins, as well as marks on his body from said abuse. I'm by no means an expert on CSA, but I read a few sources about exhibited behaviors that I tried to work in.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Glenn noticed slowly. The way Felix sulked, the way he would shut himself in his room for hours on end rather than run and play and train like normal. He was always a bit of a crybaby, but his frequent moods were beginning to concern Glenn – and annoy their father. “He’s getting to that age,” the man would sigh after Felix stormed away, tears gathering in his lashes.</p><p>Glenn wasn’t too sure.</p><p>He began to keep a closer eye on the boy. Felix was eleven, so perhaps it made sense that he was slowly morphing away from the delicate, tender boy who cried easily and handed out his affection freely. But something about the way he would cringe from a hand put on his shoulder, would shirk away from a hug, would grow irate at their combat instructor when the man attempted to correct his form during training… It worried Glenn.</p><p>The tantrums were next. One day, he might bathe himself with no problem. The next, with no explanation, bath time could become a battle field, ending with a red-faced – and inconsolable – Felix and an equally red-faced nurse charged with ensuring he’s bathed stalking away to complain to the Duke about his naughty son, muttering under her breath about noble brats. After such catastrophes, Felix would go days, sometimes over a week, without setting a toe in the tub, seemingly unbothered by his lank, greasy hair and the stink of sweat that would cling to him.</p><p>Then he would bathe again, and there would be a temporary truce.</p><p>No amount of scolding from their father seemed to faze him, no threats or bribes or gentle prompting. At one point, their father threatened to shave him bald and dunk him in a frigid lake if he didn’t bathe himself; Felix simply stared at the man with blank eyes. Of course, their father wouldn’t <em>really</em> have done that, and his bluff was quickly called by Felix’s lack of reaction, but it was clear he was at his wit’s end with his son’s inexplicable behavior.</p><p>Then he began wetting the bed.</p><p>Glenn walked into breakfast one morning, his father already busy deriding the boy. “How old are you, Felix?” Felix had his head hung low, and he didn’t speak. “Answer me.”</p><p>“Eleven.”</p><p>“Are you a baby?”</p><p>“No, sir.”</p><p>“Do eleven year olds wet their beds?</p><p>“No, sir.”</p><p>“So why did you wet your bed?”</p><p>Felix hesitated, biting his lip, and Glenn could just make out the shiny track of a tear rolling down his cheek. “I don’t know.”</p><p>“You don’t know,” the man scoffed, crossing his arms. “I’m getting very tired of your behavior, Felix.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>The bed-wetting continued. Their father even threatened to diaper Felix if it kept up. It didn’t help, and while he didn’t diaper Felix, he did refuse him dessert each night there had been an accident. Felix accepted his punishment, and after a few weeks, the bed-wetting stopped.</p><p>Felix’s odd behaviors, however, continued.</p><p> </p><p>Normally, the news that Sylvain would be visiting them for the moon would be enough to lift Felix’s spirits. He would usually babble excitedly until his friend joined them. But Felix seemed anything but excited when their father told them they would be arriving at the end of the week. The boy hung his head, picking at his dinner and not really eating it.</p><p>He didn’t burst with excitement when Sylvain finally arrived, either, didn’t run off with him or latch himself to the redhead’s hip. Instead, he stayed with Glenn as often as he could, almost annoyingly so. Of course, Sylvain meant Miklan, as well, as the Margrave never passed up the opportunity to pawn his eldest off on someone else, and to Glenn’s surprise, Felix seemed to go out of his way to avoid the older boy, practically dragging Glenn out of the room for this reason or that whenever Miklan forced his presence upon them.</p><p>Glenn was suspicious, to say the least, but Felix would offer no explanation when Glenn asked.</p><p>On the third night of Sylvain and Miklan’s visit, Felix slipped into Glenn’s bedroom late at night, tugging on his arm and waking him. “Glenn… can I sleep with you?”</p><p>Glenn blinked sleepily at the boy who shifted nervously next to his bed, picking at the hem of his nightshirt. Felix slipping into his brother’s bed had been a common occurrence when he was younger, seven or so the last time it happened. “Did you have a nightmare?” Glenn asked softly.</p><p>Biting his lip, Felix nodded. And what could Glenn do but scoot to the side and lift up his blanket in invitation? Felix crawled under, snuggling up against Glenn’s chest like he used to. He was – thankfully – clean at the moment, his hair soft and smelling of rose water. Glenn soothed back his hair; it was the closest his brother had allowed him in moons, and the contact served to both put Glenn at ease and worry him further. He didn’t sleep until he was sure Felix was out, his little chest rising and falling evenly.</p><p>Felix returned to him each night for almost two weeks.</p><p>When he wet Glenn’s bed, Glenn put an end to it and made him sleep in his own room.</p><p> </p><p>Shortly after Sylvain and Miklan returned to Gautier, Felix’s mood soured further. He barely spoke. He barely ate. He just sat in his room, numbly pushing around wooden toy soldiers on the floor. And, once again, he returned to refusing to bathe.</p><p>Their father had had enough. He threatened that if he would not bathe himself, their nurse would bathe him. If he wanted to act like a baby, he would be treated like a baby.</p><p>This seemed to distress Felix, who reluctantly agreed to bathe. Their father asked Glenn to make sure he actually did so, and Glenn listened at the door for the sounds of splashing.</p><p>He heard none. Slowly, he pushed the door open, just the slightest bit, just to see inside. Felix stood next to the tub, naked, staring forlornly at the water. It took Glenn a moment to register what he saw. His stomach lurched painfully.</p><p>Felix’s hips were mottled with deep purple bruises. New. Recent. The insides of his thighs, too, were pocked with dark circles and, Glenn noted with revulsion, the indent of a <em>bite mark</em> adorned his left buttock.</p><p>Glenn felt sick. His brother’s bizarre behavior clicked into place. The moodiness, the aversion to touch, the tantrums at bath time, the bed wetting. All of it made sense, and Glenn was sickened that he didn’t realize it sooner.</p><p>Someone was hurting his baby brother.</p><p>Glenn saw red.</p><p>But now wasn’t the moment for red. Now wasn’t the moment for anger and vengeance. Now was the moment for comfort, for solace, for Felix to feel like he could be safe.</p><p>Slowly, Glenn pushed the door open. “Felix,” he said as softly as he could.</p><p>Felix started, whipping around and scrambling for his towel, wrapping it around his slender little body, covering the marks that Glenn had already seen, and several more on his chest that matched the spots between his thighs.</p><p>“Go away, Glenn,” Felix whined, tears welling up.</p><p>“Felix,” he repeated, like he was speaking to a skittish foal. “It’s okay. I’m going to help you.”</p><p>“I don’t need help,” he protested. “I can bathe myself.”</p><p>Glenn’s heart beat painfully. “Not with the bath.” He crossed over to his brother slowly, kneeling down next to him. He didn’t dare touch him for fear of spooking him further. The boy was already edging away from him, twisting the towel tight in his fists. “Someone hurt you.”</p><p>Felix wouldn’t look at him. “N-no.”</p><p>“I saw the bruises, Fe.” Felix’s lower lip trembled. “Tell me who hurt you.” The boy shook his head, just a sharp jerk. “Did they tell you we would be angry at you if you told someone?” No response. “Did they threaten to hurt you more?” No response. “Did they threaten to hurt someone else?”</p><p>Felix’s eyes flashed to his, then, and Glenn knew he hit the nail on the head. “I won’t let that happen,” Glenn assured him firmly. “I won’t let them hurt you or anyone else, I promise. But, please, Fe, you <em>have</em> to tell me so I can do that.” Felix hesitated, clearly torn. “Please. Let me help you. I won’t sit here and let someone hurt my brother.”</p><p>It seemed like an eternity before Felix spoke, shifting on his feet and tugging at the towel and licking his lip, eyes anxious and scared. “Miklan.” Forcing himself to remain calm was the hardest thing Glenn had ever done. Forcing himself to not curse and ride off to Gautier right that second to hunt the bastard down and <em>kill</em> him where he stood… But, no, Felix needed him. There would be time for that, later. “He said he would hurt Sylvain if I didn’t… if I didn’t play with him.”</p><p>Sylvain. Goddess, if he hurt Felix on the few scant opportunities he had, Glenn couldn’t imagine what Sylvain endured considering he lived with the piece of shit. But he could worry about that later. Felix.</p><p>“Are you mad at me?”</p><p>The question floored Glenn. Felix, with his teary eyes and pink cheeks and trembling lip, was worried that Glenn was mad at <em>him</em>. “Of course not,” he assured him as gently as he could. “You did nothing wrong.” He tentatively reached out to wipe away a tear that rolled down Felix’s cheek, and to his surprise (and immense relief) Felix did not flinch away. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Not that Glenn wanted to know the details, exactly, but if Felix needed to talk, Glenn would listen. He would listen and be calm and make Felix feel safe.</p><p>Felix glanced around the bathroom, at the water long since gone cold, at the towel he covered himself with, at the pile of night clothes at his feet. “Can… can we go to your room?”</p><p>“Of course.” Peeling himself away from Felix long enough that the boy could change in private was agonizing; he didn’t want to take his eyes off his brother, not even for a moment. But Felix needed the privacy. It took him a long while to change, but eventually he stepped out into the hall in his night clothes and they walked to Glenn’s room hand-in-hand.</p><p>Glenn closed the door behind him, put out the candle, and the two of them crawled into his bed. He held Felix close to his chest as the boy told him the abuse he’d suffered at Miklan’s hands. All the ways Miklan had touched him, defiled him, hurt him. Felix cried as he recounted the vile acts, and Glenn cradled him tight, rocking him lightly.</p><p>Even long after Felix cried himself out and finally fell into a restless sleep in Glenn’s arms, Glenn found he couldn’t sleep. He was consumed by rage. Every detail of what Miklan had done burned bright and hot in his brain. And worse, Felix’s desperate plea that Glenn not tell their father. “If Miklan finds out, he’ll hurt Sylvain,” he’d wailed, inconsolable until Glenn promised he would keep it secret…</p><p>And he would. Glenn would tell no one what he learned.</p><p>He would simply take care of Miklan himself.</p><p> </p><p>Glenn’s fury at Miklan festered like an infected wound, angry red and oozing malice. On the surface, he kept calm for Felix’s sake. He needed someone calm. He needed someone to reassure him when he panicked and protect him when he was afraid. The boy left his side then less than ever, practically joined at the hip. And Glenn brushed off their father’s complaints that he shouldn’t enable his brother’s behavior.</p><p>Felix slept in Glenn’s bed nearly every night after that, and Glenn was more than happy to allow it, even if the boy wet the bed. Glenn found himself changing the sheets himself early in the mornings before the maids made their rounds, paying off the washing woman that she not tell their father about the accidents. The last thing Felix needed was to be shamed and scolded for something out of his control.</p><p>All the while, Glenn plotted. He was consumed by thoughts of how Miklan would pay. Pay with his blood. Pay with his life. Glenn would lay awake night after night, mind buzzing with all the ways he could do it.</p><p>He could ride off to Gautier, sneak into Miklan’s chamber in the dead of night and kill him while he slept. But, no, he didn’t deserve a quick death.</p><p>He could lure him away, into a secluded spot in the dense, ancient redwood forests that blanketed Gautier, subdue him and kill him slowly. Make him suffer. Make him feel even just a fraction of the fear and pain he’d subjected Felix to. Make him beg for mercy…</p><p>No…</p><p>Make him beg for death.</p><p>He could string him up, alive and bound. Leave him for the crows. Leave him to rot. It wasn’t like anyone would go looking for him, anyway. No one would ever know. No one would care.</p><p>It would be easy.</p><p>When, the next moon, their father gave them the news that they were to go spend the summer in Gautier, Glenn knew he would have his chance. He would bide his time, decide on a plan of action, and make Miklan pay.</p><p>Felix seemed to know this too, as he kept shooting worried looks at Glenn as they rode from Fraldarius. When they stopped at an inn just a half-day’s ride from Castle Gautier late on the final night of their journey, Felix sleeping in Glenn’s bed as usual, he held tight to Glenn’s hand. “You plan to kill Miklan, don’t you?”</p><p>Glenn swallowed hard. Was he truly that transparent? “What makes you think that, Fe?”</p><p>Felix’s dark eyes were luminous in the moonlight that filtered through the grubby window, wide and knowing and entirely too world-weary for his eleven years. “You talk in your sleep.”</p><p>That was news to Glenn. But, it seemed there was no use denying it. He squeezed Felix’s hand tight. “I won’t let him get away with what he’s done to you.”</p><p>Felix stared at him for a long moment. “I don’t want you to kill him,” he decided.</p><p>“Felix…”</p><p>“He’s a bad person.” It was such a simple statement, but it fell over Glenn like blanket, thick and suffocating. “You’re not. I don’t want you to be a bad person too.”</p><p>And what could Glenn even say to that? “I’ve killed bad people before, Fe,” he reminded him gently. “Bandits and outlaws. Bad people who hurt others, just like Miklan hurt you.”</p><p>“You had to kill those people because they were enemies to the Kingdom,” Felix shot back evenly, clearly having put a lot of thought into this. “You want to kill Miklan because you’re mad. Not because it’s your duty to bring bad people to justice, but because you want him to die. That’s not your duty. That’s murder.”</p><p>“Miklan deserves-”</p><p>“Glenn.”</p><p>“No one would-”</p><p>“Glenn.” Felix’s hand touched his cheeks softly, and for a moment, Glenn felt like the little brother, being comforted and protected. It was all so backwards. Felix should want Miklan dead more than almost anyone else, yet there he was, asking Glenn spare him. “Don’t become a bad person. Miklan’s not worth that.”</p><p>Glenn’s voice trembled when he spoke. “When did you get so wise and philosophical?” he wondered, forcing out a shaky laugh, ruffling the boy’s hair lightly. Felix just shrugged, the corners of his lips tugging up just the slightest bit for the first time Glenn had seen in weeks. “I… I can’t promise I won’t hurt Miklan. But, for you, I won’t kill him.”</p><p>Felix snuggled in close to him then, seemingly satisfied by that, and the two of them drifted off to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>They arrived at Castle Gautier at midday, and Glenn barely restrained himself from running Miklan through with his sword the second he saw the older boy. He kept Felix close at all times, never letting the boy out of his sight for more than a few moments at the time. Felix continued sleeping in Glenn’s bed, and Glenn ensured he was never left alone with Miklan, not even for a second.</p><p>He bid his time, waiting patiently for the opportunity to have a little ‘talk’ with Miklan. He didn’t want to be overheard, after all, and he certainly didn’t want to risk Felix witnessing what was going to happen – whatever that ended up being, as Glenn hadn’t quite decided given his promise of sparing Miklan’s life.</p><p>He got his chance a little over a moon after they arrived. It was the midst of the Kingdom’s summer, and Gautier was having a bit of a dry spell. As tended to happen when the temperatures rose and water became scarce, bandits got bold. At breakfast one morning, Margrave Gautier glanced over at his eldest son. “I have a task for you, Miklan,” he said briskly.</p><p>Miklan just grunted, too busy ripping into a hunk of ham.</p><p>“There is a nest of bandits in the south that have been causing an issue in Baelhurst. Just five or six of the rats, if the reports are correct. Take a knight or two and go take care of the problem.”</p><p>It was perfect, Glenn realized in an instant. “I’ll go as well, Margave,” he volunteered. Miklan spared him a disdainful glance, but said nothing.</p><p>“Oh, that’s not necessary, Glenn,” the Margrave attempted to dismiss. “You’re our guest.”</p><p>Glenn smiled politely. “It would be my honor,” he insisted. “I could use the practice, anyhow.”</p><p>“If you’re sure,” the Margrave relented, looking rather pleased. “I welcome your assistance.”</p><p>Glenn simply tipped his head respectfully.</p><p>They rode out after breakfast, just the two of them. Felix’s eyes followed him nervously as Glenn prepared, mounted his horse. He smiled reassuringly down at his brother before he and Miklan hit the road.</p><p>They rode all day, camping along the road when night fell, and reached Baelhurst early the next afternoon. The bandits were laughably easy to take out, between Glenn’s skill with the sword and Miklan’s ferocious prowess with an axe. When the battle was over, seven bandit corpses littering the dirty floor of their little hideout, Miklan wasted no time looting through their stashes for gold and goods.</p><p>Glenn took note of the way he left his axe sitting out of reach on the top of a rickety table. It was time. “So, Miklan,” he said casually, earning an annoyed grunt in response, “you like touching little boys, do you?”</p><p>Miklan wheeled around, confused and glaring, ready to say something that Glenn gave him no time to get out before he was spinning around, blade slicing through the air. It hit its mark, cutting cleanly across Miklan’s face. Miklan bellowed, reeling back and clutching at his bleeding wound. “What the fuck?”</p><p>“You heard me,” Glenn said coolly, stalking toward the older boy. Miklan staggered back, tripping over one of the corpses and falling on the floor. He shuffled back on his hands as Glenn continued to step closer and closer until his back hit the wall, Glenn looming over him like an avenging angel. Glenn put the point of his blade against Miklan’s throat, relishing in the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, at the way his pulse seemed to jump at the vein that could be so easily sliced to spill his lifeblood.</p><p>The redhead looked pitiful (though Glenn felt not the slightest hint of pity for him), cowering against the rough-hewn stone, eyes darting this way and that as he searched for something, anything to defend himself with, blood running down his face and into his eyes. It wasn’t enough. Nothing short of the bastard’s death could ever possibly be enough.</p><p><em>Don’t become a bad person. Miklan’s not worth that</em>.</p><p>Goddess, did Glenn wish he could stand the look on Felix’s face if he broke his promise.</p><p>“How dare you?” he spat, digging the tip of his blade in deeper, reveling in the way it drew a pinprick of blood that dribbled down Miklan’s throat. “How dare you touch my brother with your disgusting hands?”</p><p>“I didn’t-”</p><p>He pushed harder, and Miklan’s words died in his throat. “I saw the marks, you sick fuck.” There wasn’t remorse or shame in Miklan’s eyes, just fear, just pity for himself that he’d been caught. “All the bruises on his hips, on his thighs, his chest. The fucking <em>bite mark</em>. You deserve to be put down like the rabid beast you are.”</p><p><em>That’s not your duty. That’s murder</em>.</p><p>“Do you know the one, single reason you draw breath right now?” Miklan gave just the slightest jerk of his head. “Because Felix asked me to spare your worthless life.” He bit out a harsh laugh. “You defiled him, and he’s more concerned about me not being a murderer.”</p><p><em>I don’t want you to be a bad person too</em>.</p><p>“So, here’s what’s going to happen,” he said evenly, forcing himself to keep calm. “You never lay your hands on another child again. Not Felix. Not <em>Sylvain</em>.” The redhead winced almost imperceptibly, confirming Glenn’s dark suspicion. “Not His Highness. Hell, not the fucking <em>stable boy</em>. Because, if you do, I will find out, and I will hunt your down and kill you slowly, and they won’t find your body… if anyone even looks, which, let’s be real, they won’t. Do I make myself clear?”</p><p>A small nod.</p><p>With great effort, Glenn lowered his sword. “If anyone bothers to ask about the wound, one of the bandits got the better of you.”</p><p>He turned away without another word, leaving Miklan behind. He rode ahead; the last thing he needed was for Miklan to decide to try and kill him in his sleep, force Glenn to take his secret to his grave. He arrived back at Castle Gautier half a day ahead of Miklan, claiming he’d been injured and stayed behind to recuperate for a while.</p><p>When Miklan returned, sporting a nasty gash across his face, no one pressed for details. No one cared enough to. They way Felix’s eyes fell on Glenn, he was sure the boy knew the truth, though he said nothing.</p><p>Miklan never touched Felix again.</p><p>Glenn took the secret to his grave.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Title Song: Not Alone by Red</p></blockquote></div></div>
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